What Azaria Chamberlain Taught Us

If you felt uncomfortable about all the jovial “The Dingo Really DID Eat Her Baby” headlines in June, because, well, it’s not actually that funny that a woman was wrongfully imprisoned for killing her baby, after having helplessly witnessed said baby being carried off by a wild animal, this piece on the dangers of group-think by Jo Hilder is an absolute must-read.

Lindy was judged because she didn’t act like a woman who lost her baby. In the public opinion, she acted like a woman who tore one to pieces. What made us think this? She just didn’t behave motherly enough. And just how is a mother supposed to act like under those circumstances? Cry. You’re supposed to cry. And make us believe it. And rail. And scream. And act all bereft, like. Lindy was supposed to break down and hang off Michael in front of the cameras like a hysterical mess. But while she very may have very well been an hysterical mess in private, she chose not to behave that way in front of us. And we hated her for it.